I wiped away the weeds & foam. / I fetched my sea-born treasures home... Ralph Waldo Emerson







Thursday, November 10, 2016

Boardwalk Days



“November--with uncanny witchery...Days full of a fine, pale sunshine.... 
Days with a high-sprung sky of flawless turquoise. 
Days when an exquisite melancholy seemed to hang over the landscape and dream about the [sea]. But days, too, of the wild blackness of great autumn storms, 
followed by dank, wet, streaming nights 
when there was witch-laughter in the pines 
and fitful moans among the mainland trees.''― L.M. Montgomery







Hi, everyone! The other day I had a visitor who wanted to walk on the boardwalk in our bigger town. It was again a glorious day--like your September, maybe: 65, and balmy. The boardwalk and beach here are beautiful---serene, pristine, despite being in a semi-urban setting. 


Quite a few surfers because it was a school holiday.








Remember this boardwalk was destroyed completely just four years ago by Hurricane Sandy. It is 2.2 miles long, and cost 42 million dollars to rebuild; the new boardwalk reopened one year after H Sandy.


























Next time I will bring a picnic.



love

lizzy

gone to the beach....













Tuesday, November 8, 2016

Fall Garden Peeping



Hello everyone! It's a gorgeous sunny breezy day today. Let's get out of the sewing room, office, the kitchen---no closet cleaning today! (Okay I admit I did a smidge of closet cleaning earlier. Mel and I have a project! Had to find my beads...).


November is one of my favorite months here. It's usually so autumn-y, like how we expect October to be. Crisp days, chilly nights, lovely for sleeping, but not cold enough for flannel sheets. Apples and cheese--brie, cheddar, Stilton?, white wine, hot Earl Grey tea. Scents of cinnamon and clove, even woodsmoke. One of the neighbors must have lit their fireplaces.



We're a bit short on beautiful red and orange trees, tall leafy trees are rare here, just pines and shrubs. The color comes in the marsh's verges, red creeper and poison ivy, orange bittersweet, amber plumes on the phragmites, school bus yellow golden rod. Now and then a hint of lavender peeks out, the fall marsh asters are blooming.
But today is not a marsh walk day, instead we'll take Mo and amble around, see what's blooming in the neighbors' gardens.



The grass is still so green. These pics were taken while we were training Mo to wear his costume last week.


Checking out the beach alley. The tiny marigold hedges are at their best now.








My friends' dahlias finally have bloomed.


Roses and begonias, happy at last.


Morning glories thrive in the cooler weather. I think these are called Flying Saucer. Must have next year, maybe I can harvest some seeds?






Volunteer MGs abound. The climate is too harsh here by the ocean, though; they won't become invasive.






And what are these adorable tiny brown-eyed yellow morning glories? Very cute, a climbing vine





The ornamental grasses are in the glory days. The seed heads nod and glow in low amber sunshine.









The hydrangeas like the rain we finally had, looking very pretty in in mostly shades of old rose and bronze.






A few confused bushes sporting bright midsummer blue.


I snipped some heads here and there, with permission, of course. They'll dry in my crocks all Fall.




Now let's swing by Mo's bench, a five minute rest, a treat, a drink of water. I have cheese and peanut butter crappy crackers in my pocket, and a few of Mo's ''healthy'' treats.


Say hello, to the Kitties at the house being reno'd....


Back home Mo must try on his winter clothes. Oh the humiliation! Will things still fit? Or have we outgrown our clothes? We all know that season change dread and sympathize.


Mo's Puppias and Bumble Bee sweater fit but he is a big boned Pug, with a broad chest.
Later we found a last hour of sunshine to sit on the deck and sew and/ or chew on a toy.






I watched that solo sailboat all afternoon. He was either becalmed or out of gas, or just having a lazy day.



The sunset comes too soon but is beautiful.






You'd know it was November even if like Snow White you suddenly opened your eyes after a hundred years.



Tonight's candle scent is "London", scented of black tea and bergamot. Lovely. Mo is snuggled now with his new dolly, Smelly the Skunk. Poor Smelly has no stuffing, but his tail crinkles. lol.






Goodnight!




love

lizzy

gone to the beach...






PS We also have visited the Goose Family recently. Sadly they were dressed for football, instead of Halloween. And yeah, Baby is naked again...